1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to vehicle remote control systems, and more particularly, to a repeater for extending a reception range of a vehicle remote control system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A vehicle remote control system is a system designed to remotely control certain functions and/or features of a vehicle. In one example, the system performs remote keyless entry by duplicating the features of a standard car key with the added convenience of operating power door locks, while eliminating the need to physically manipulate a key into a lock. In another example, the system performs remote start by remotely starting a car's engine by the push of a button on a handheld fob.
The vehicle remote control system generally includes two basic components, a portable radio transmitter disposed in a handheld fob and a receiver located inside a control module of a vehicle. The system works by sending pulses of radio frequency energy at a particular frequency from the transmitter to the receiver. These pulses are interpreted by the receiver, which, in turn, instructs the control module to perform an appropriate function.
Recently, automobile manufacturers have begun to add remote start features to their vehicles at the factory level. Prior to this, remote start systems were primarily sold and installed in the vehicle accessory aftermarket and at retail mobile electronics stores. One difference between the factory-installed and aftermarket remote start systems is reception range. For example, the aftermarket systems have a typical range that exceeds 800 feet, whereas the factory-installed systems have a range between 100 and 300 feet.
Accordingly, there is a need for improving the reception range a factory-installed remote control system.